The present invention relates to an electric connector for making electric connection for a lamp of a vehicle or the like, and particularly relates to an electric connector having a simple configuration in which a connector housing is molded with resin.
In a lamp of a vehicle, an electric connector is used for electrically connecting a harness (power supply wiring) which is connected to an on-vehicle battery to a bulb or a bulb socket of the lamp. One such electric connector, for example, has electric terminals made by bending metal pieces and inserting them into a molded resin connector housing. FIG. 6 shows an example of such an electric connector. In FIG. 6, a connector housing 5 has a configuration, formed by resin molding, in which two rectangular pipe-like portions 51 are arranged in parallel and integrally with each other through a connection body 52. Two electric terminals 3 are inserted into rectangular pipe-like portions 51 through opening portions of the respective rectangular pipe-like portions 51, and fixed in the respective rectangular pipe-like portions 51. Conventionally, such electric terminals 3 have been used widely. In each of the electric terminals 3, opposite side portions 32 of a conductive metal member 31 are formed into J-shape by bending the end portions toward the inner surface. A bulb base terminal or socket base terminal of a lamp is inserted between these J-shaped opposite side portions 32 and the inner surface of each metal member 31 to thereby make electric connection with the base terminal. In addition, an end portion of a coated wire 34 is clamped at one end portion 33 of the metal member 31 to thereby make electric connection with the coated wire.
As the technique to fix the above-mentioned electric terminals 3 into the connector housing 5, there is a proposal in which a bonding agent is charged into openings of the respective rectangular pipe-like portions 51 of the connector housing 5 so as to fix the electric terminals 3 by solidification of the bonding agent. There is another proposal in which special electric terminals having not-shown projecting members formed on one-side portions of the metal members 31 integrally therewith are manufactured, and when the electric terminals 3 are inserted into the rectangular pipe-like portions 51 respectively, the projecting members are fitted into not-shown recess portions provided in the rectangular pipe-like portions so as to prevent the electric terminals 3 from being detached. If electric terminals are fixedly supported in a connector housing in such a manner as mentioned above and the connector housing is attached/detached to/from the bulb base terminals, the attachment/detachment between two electric terminals and bulb base terminals of a lamp can be performed simultaneously. Accordingly, it is possible to perform electric wiring of the lamp easily.
In such conventional techniques, the former one for fixing electric terminals to a connector housing with a bonding agent has a problem that it is difficult to exchange the electric terminals when the electric terminals are broken after bonding the electric terminals with a bonding agent. In the latter one for fixing the electric terminals with projecting members, on the other hand, it is necessary to prepare special electric terminals. Accordingly, there is a problem that the cost increases. In addition, it is necessary to form recess portions in a connector housing so that the projecting members are fitted into the recess portions. Accordingly, there is a problem that a mold for forming the connector housing is so complicated that it is difficult to manufacture the mold. Further, in either of the above-mentioned techniques, the electric terminals fixed in the connector housing are exposed from the connector housing. Accordingly, an accident of short-circuit is apt to occur between the electric terminals. In addition, when a high voltage is applied to the electric terminals, there arises a problem in safety such that an accident of electric shock or the like is generated. In addition, in either technique, two electric terminals are fixed in the connector housing firmly. Accordingly, in case there is a position error in fixing positions of the electric terminals, there is a problem that the electric terminals cannot be fitted to a pair of bulb base terminals which are provided with fixed predetermined size.